Rhetorical Logos In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

915 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Comparison between Brutus and Caesar

Megan Patterson
Mrs. Stancil
Rhetoric 102- Analytical Paper (Drama)
10 March 2014

Julius Caesar
In the play, Julius Caesar, Shakespeare utilizes logos, pathos and ethos through out the entire play. Logos is a form of appeal that is logical and Shakespeare uses this form of appeal through Brutus and Mark Antony to try and convince the audience in a rational way. Pathos is the form of appeal that is used with meaningful language, Marc Anthony demonstrated pathos well in his funerary speech. Ethos is an ethical approach, this form of appeal; which is a form of appeal that Shakespeare uses to convince the audience of Brutus and Mark Antonys’ credibility. Brutus depends largely on ethos in his speech. Brutus uses his wisdom of the political structure to appeal to the common people. He shows the common people that he shares the same love and liberty for their country. Comparatively, Marc Anthony’s speech was more aggressive and effective. His speech was a combination of the rhetorical appeals. In Shakespeare's , Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony’s speech was much more powerful and his success was derived from the rhetorical appeal of pathos.
Brutus primarily uses the rhetorical appeal of ethos in his speech. Ethos is prevalent in his speech when he is speaking about his love for Rome,which ultimately is higher than his love for Caesar. He relies on defending himself and proving to the townspeople his actions were a sacrifice for Rome. Brutus states, “Believe me for mine honor,and have respect for mine honor, that/ you may believe” (JC III.ii.14-16).Brutus’s expectations for his speech were for people to respond reasonably and realize that what he did was the right thing. Brutus is very successful because he presents the political struct...

... middle of paper ...

...cessful but Mark Anthony’s speech is much more effective. Ultimately Brutus is trying to defend himself for the killing of Caesar. He wanted to prove to the townspeople that what he did was for the liberty and justice of the Roman Empire. Mark Antony was successful because in his speech he uses a masterful combination of ethos, logos, pathos. He also uses a lot of repetition and rhetorical irony which indirectly shows the crowd that Brutus is not an honorable man and what he does is very wrong. Antony shows true compassion to the common people and the passion won the their hearts over. Antony uses more of a pathos, emotional appeal, unlike Brutus who uses more logos and ethos. Antony’s tone in his speech was melancholy and the crowd could see true sympathy. Antony was ultimately able to persuade his point of view to the crowd and was more victorious than Brutus.

Show More
Related

  • Brutus Ethos In Julius Caesar

    292 Words  | 1 Pages

    In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus is a skillful orator who makes use of rhetorical devices to convey his points. In his speech made after the death of Caesar, Brutus uses devices such as ethos, parallelism, and rhetorical questions to persuade the people to his way of thinking. Ethos is when a speaker gives an example of credibility in order to appeal to the listener’s ethics. When Brutus asks the people to “believe me for mine honor, and have respect for mine honor” (3.2.14-15), he is using ethos to appeal to their morals in order to make them consider his opinions. The use of ethos exhibits Brutus’ need for the people to approve of him, and by extension, the assassination of Caesar. Later, Brutus utilizes parallelism

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Playwright, William Shakespeare, in the play Julius Caesar, utilizes many instances of rhetorical devices through the actions and speech of Caesar's right-hand man, Mark Antony. In the given excerpt, Antony demonstrates several of those rhetorical devices such as verbal irony, sarcasm, logos, ethos, and pathos which allows him to sway the plebeians. The central purpose of Mark Antony’s funeral speech is to persuade his audience into believing that Caesar had no ill intentions while manipulating the plebeians into starting a rebellion against their new enemies, Brutus and the conspirators.

    Read More

  • Persuasion Tactics in 'Julius Caesar': Brutus vs. Antony

    588 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Julius Caesar two men, Antony and Brutus, make two different speeches but with the same concept of ethos, logos, and pathos at Caesar's funeral. Brutus claims that it is okay that he killed Caesar and makes a speech about it. Antony is the more persuasive speaker than Brutus because he uses ethos, pathos, and logos better than Brutus. Brutus has a way with the people. He is a politician, and he knows how to get the people on his side.

    Read More

  • How Does Brutus Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

    253 Words  | 1 Pages

    Brutus used pathos excessively in his funeral speech and they appealed to the Plebeians’ sense of patriotism and love. Before Brutus joined Cassius’ conspiracy, he was one of Caesar’s favorites, a close friend, and well-respected and trusted by Caesar. When Cassius brought out the idea of the conspiracy, Brutus anxiously pondered and conflicted with himself about it, but in the end joined with the genuine belief that it will benefit the people of Rome. He hoped Caesar’s death would end corruption in Rome, and the distress and sadness of the citizens. Thus, he used pathos in his funeral speech in order to appeal to the sense of patriotism and love for home. Brutus said, “If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer:

    Read More

  • How Does Anthony Use Ethos In Julius Caesar

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, pathos, logos and ethos are evidently and effectively used to persuade the audience into believing Caesar was not ambitious and that he was an innocent man. Throughout the speech the citizens were easily persuaded, but Anthony’s intellectual speeches made the audience question and imagine what they have turned into. Anthony used these three rhetorical appeals to win back the citizens just like many people do today. The power of pathos, logos and ethos in a speech can change one mind in an instant and if successfully used can change a mind to be fully persuaded without confusion.

    Read More

  • Brutus vs Antony

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most predominate and important aspect In the play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare are the speeches given to the Roman citizens by Brutus and Antony, the two main charaters, following the death of Caesar. Brutus and Antony both spoke to the crowd,using the same rhetorical devices to express their thoughts. Both speakers used the three classical appeals employed in the speeches: ethos, which is an appeal to credibility; pathos, which is an appeal to the emotion of the audience; and logos, which is an appeal to the content and arrangement of the argument itself. Even though both speeches have the same structure Antony’s speech is significantly more effective than Brutus’s.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Rhetorical Devices Essay

    490 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the beginning of Brutus’s speech it’s shown that he is using ethos to convince the citizens of Rome of his credibility. “Believe me for mine honor and have respect to mine honor that you may believe. Censure me in your wisdom and awake your senses that you may the better judge.” (Shakespeare) In this first quote he obviously tries to convince the audience to believe in what he is about to say by telling them that he should be trusted because he is a truthful man. “If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less than his.” (1) Then again he persuades the crowd by telling them can be just as trustworthy as anyone else that knew Julius personally as a friend.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    As a final point, Antony and Brutus both spoke at Caesar’s funeral to prove their reasoning’s to the people. Antony’s speech turned out to be the more effective one because he manipulates the words ambitious and honorable to contradict Brutus, he uses props to provide substantial evidence to the people, and his speech was more effective because it essentially persuaded the people to be on his side whereas Brutus did not convince the people of anything.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Charms in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagine yourself listening to a political debate, undecided as to which leader you agree with. One candidate begins to speak about unjust societal issues, such as the horrifying amount of people in the world that do not have food on their table. The candidate also begins to touch upon the topic of taxes and how he will lower them if he is elected. You find yourself being persuaded in the direction of emotions and morals. The power of language used to appeal others is not only present in the modern world, but also in the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, written by famous English playwright William Shakespeare. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar portrayed a story of how an aspiring leader, Julius Caesar, is assassinated by a group of schemers, lead by Marcus Brutus, who disagreed with Caesar’s decrees and ways of governing. Over the course of the text, it demonstrated the use of two rhetorical charms: ethos and pathos. While ethos refers to the moral and ethical appeal and pathos invokes to the emotional aspect, each one was evidently shown in the funeral speech for Caesar given by his best friend, Mark Antony. Prior to Antony’s speech, Brutus had given the plebeians a synopsis of what had occurred. However, Mark Antony knew that what Brutus had told the plebeians was false. In such manner, he allured the plebeians onto his side of the tragedy by touching upon ethical and emotional appeals.

    Read More

  • Brutus and Antony’s Use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    Brutus and Antony’s use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos throughout the novel are just examples of the everyday persuasion used around us daily, when reading the play it does look like one giant competition to see who is the most persuasive and influential character. Even in today’s economy companies have to compete for the attention of consumers’ worldwide and politicians who argue their beliefs and views to millions of voters in order to get what they want, because the art of persuasion is just one big game.

    Read More

  • Brutus' Rhetorical Strategies: Ethos, Pathos and Logos

    820 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his speech, Brutus appeals to the loyalism of his audience by making intertwining arguments of ethos, pathos, and logos. He begins by establishing his ethos by asserting his status as an honorable fellow Roman worthy of their respect. He expands on this ethos by dividing it into three parts: his love of Caesar, his loyalty to Rome, and his relationship to his audience. Brutus tells his audience that he was a “dear friend” to the man he murdered, invoking a pathetic sense of sympathy from his audience. However, as he says himself, it was “not that [he] loved Caesar less, but that [he] loved Rome more,” strengthening his ethos as a loyal countryman with the interests of his audience at heart. After establishing an emotional connection to his audience and earning their trust, Brutus explains his logic

    Read More

  • Comparison of the Two Speeches in Julius Caesar

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    In William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, two speeches are given to the people of Rome about Caesar's death. In Act 3, Scene 2 of this play Brutus and Antony both try to sway the minds of the Romans toward their views. Brutus tried to make the people believe he killed Caesar for a noble cause. Antony tried to persuade the people that the conspirators committed an act of brutality toward Caesar and were traitors. The effectiveness and ineffectiveness of both Antony's and Brutus's speech to the people are conveyed through tone and rhetorical devices.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Rhetorical Analysis Essay

    535 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antony asks rhetorical questions and lets the audience answer for themselves. Brutus uses ethos by stating that he a noble man and that is why the people should believe him but infact Antony questions his nobility by saying what Brutus said,” Brutus is an honourable man”(III.ii.79). In a way, Antony states what Brutus states to convince the audience by using examples that Brutus is wrong. Antony himself knows what kind of man Brutus is but lets the people figure it out on their own. In addition, Brutus uses logos by expressing that fact that Caesar died because of his ambition. This argument is severely under supported because his reasons are invalid and simply observations. Antony uses “did this in Caesar seem ambitious” to question Brutus’ argument (III.ii.82). Antony gives examples backing his argument like when Caesar refused the crown thrice to prove his humbleness. The way Antony convinces the people to rebel is by using pathos. He brings the audience in by stepping down to their level and showing them the body of Caesar. While Antony talks at Caesar's funeral, he pauses because” heart us in the coffin there with Caesar “(III.ii.98). When Antony becomes emotional, he reminds the audience about what injust event happened to the much loved

    Read More

  • Use of Rhetorical Appeals in Julius Caesar: Brutus vs Antony

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus and Antony attempt to persuade the audience of their position on the death of Caesar. While Brutus explains that his death was necessary, Antony claims that Caesar was not deserving of his demise. However, though Brutus does have ample credibility and taps into the emotional link with his audience to some extent, he does not convey as powerful of an argument as Antony, as he fails to provide sufficient factual evidence. Antony, on the other hand, utilizes logical argumentation with solid evidence, creates an emotional connection with his audience, and maintains credibility in order to support his own argument. Through this, it can be seen that Antony’s use of rhetorical appeals and devices is superior to Brutus’s in its ability to persuade the Roman audience.

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Essay: Brutus's and Antony's Speeches

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    & respects the intelligence of the common people to understand a speech given in verse.  Brutus's authoritative air is once again illustrated at the very opening line of his oration when he demands the attention of the people, "Romans, countrymen, and lovers, hear me for my / cause, and be silent, that you may hear.  Believe me / for mine honor and have respect to mine honor, that / you may believe"(Act III, scene ii, lines 13-16).  this one line, Antony uses Brutus's words to his advantage by changing them to make himself sound friendlier.  By the very first word of Antony's speech, one can infer that he is about to give a humbling oration; he uses the ethical appeal to convince the people to believe in his cause rather than Brutus's.  Finally, while the crowd is in awe of Brutus's raw power and booming authority, Antony uses sarcasm He is "an honorable man" (Act III, scene II, line 84) in a tone of biting mockery, therefore questioning Brutus's credibility. & nbsp;                  It is true that the Roman people have emotions that sway with the winds, but this is partly due to the great speaking skills of both Brutus and Mark Antony.

    Read More

More about Rhetorical Logos In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

Open Document